Me too. At first I thought it was a little trivial but the more and more I thought about it....they did work us Overtime and we weren't "true" sales people. I can remember management telling us to work in the field 8-5 and do all paperwork, etc. at during personal time. Many a weekends organizing storage unit, unpacking, doing inventory, keeping straight and all that computer work, entering in calls, expense report and all the other administrative duties they wanted you today doing personal time after 5pm. I can remember asking for administration days and my manager saying, "there is no day or time during business hours for admin, you must do it after clinics close or before.
I am going to have a lawyer look at it and check the laws in my state.

Problem for me is that when somebody googles your name such as a potential employer, your name could come up under the suit. Big red flag, if you are trying to find another job in medical sales or pharma....
If I could be assured that my name would not appear in google search....I would do it.

Also laid off in '09. Did not join original suit because of LOYALTY to Pfizer while I was still employed. What a joke. They obviously do not feel the same about their employees. Nothing to lose by joining the lawsuit now. Just glad to have a second chance. All those late night dinner programs to grow market share and sell Pfizer drugs.................. Didn't Novartis reps win a similar case? The payout will probably be only about $2.50 after attorneys get their "nut" anyway.

To poster #7 - I really don't think your name would come up under a google search. I was involved in a personal 2 year civil lawsuit and worried about the same thing. Had nothing to do with employer/employee stuff, but still you don't want to come off as someone who has legal troubles. I have received copies of all background checks that potential employers have run, including an extensive federal background check in order to sell securities. Never once did that lawsuit involvement come up. I think current employees are scared to join because they know the next round of lay-offs are coming and don't want to raise any flags.

Even though it's a class action suit you should receive what you're owed. The overtime hours you put in. It can be proved because Pfizer has records of all the dinner programs we conducted. You can run a report through easy speak. You can produce any rosters you have with physician attendance, etc. Under Betsy we had to fax in the attendance sheets, did you keep copies? You can also produce copies of your old expense reports. How about all those local conventions over the weekend. Remember when Pfizer said no more taking a day off if you work a local convention over the weekend? Pfizer has been very disrespectful!!

Management will know who joins, and they will talk about it. Heard of a rep that joined first round and the manager told me they now has to keep every file, email etc on him for the lawsuit, past and future. They have gone for several promotions and have been passed over. Maybe not due to this, who knows?

Those of us who were laid off had to sign the release agreement saying that we wouldn't sue Pfizer or anything.... I'm worried if I join the suit they will send me something demanding the severance back!

I know the lawsuit paperwork says we can join the suit even if we signed a severance agreement...but they don't say what repercussions that will bring on by Pfizer.

As part of a lawsuit like this the attorneys can specify these things. The attorneys work for you. There are a lot of ex employees in your same situation, so you can specify A) Pfizer will not sue you B) Pfizer will not take back your severance, future pensions etc We need to call the attorneys handling this lawsuit. If anyone has any information please post it here.

Pfizer will have your name. However, you may be able to join the suit as a John Doe. Call the attorneys.

You'll likely recover $500. The attorneys will make millions. The downside far outweighs the upsides if you're still employed by Pfizer and sue them. For all you know, part of the settlement might be your resignation. Being in a class action with ex-employees who could care less about your resignation may be a conflict of interest for the attorneys. if the majority are ex employees, they may very well throw you under the bus.

Nothing, but statutes of limitations, precludes you from filing your own suits if you decline joining this class action.

Any attorneys out there that can shed some light on this issue? Serious posts please. Does anyone know if names of current employees suing will be disclosed to mgmt?

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Yes. Names of any employee involved in any type of lawsuit will be made as a matter of public record. However if there is a confidentiality clause in the lawsuit, then names will be withheld, however that is very difficult to get. If you are an employee and want to join a lawsuit against your company, then management will have the option of finding out who has joined and who has not. More than likely you will be dismissed by the company for joining the lawsuit.